Pregnancy promises a bundle of joy after nine months. However, it does come with some hardships along the way – joint aches, back pain, morning sickness, and swollen ankles to name a few.
Mothers-to-be look for relief, but understand there are chemicals and ingredients they should avoid to protect their growing baby. Of course, there’s alcohol and tobacco but also caffeine and raw seafood.
But what about CBD cream? CBD has been making waves for its therapeutic and medicinal uses for many years now. In this article, we’ll explore whether or not it’s safe to use topical CBD cream during pregnancy.
What’s CBD Anyway?
First, let’s get everyone on the same page in case you’re wondering what CBD is and why anyone wants to use it in the first place.
CBD is short for cannabidiol, and it’s one of many phytocannabinoids found in hemp plants. Its more famous cousin is THC, which is responsible for the intoxicating and psychoactive effects from marijuana.
Unlike THC, CBD doesn’t get you “high.” However, they do share many of the same medicinal and beneficial properties, such as helping with anxiety, increasing sleep quality, relieving aches and pains, fighting against nausea, promoting healthier skin, and much more.
Because of the many positive effects without the psychoactive component, millions of Americans use CBD via oils, edibles, and topical creams on a daily basis.
With that out of the way, let’s explore whether not expecting mothers can safely use CBD creams.
Is CBD Cream Safe During Pregnancy?
While it’s a simple and valid question, considering the widespread use of CBD, the answer is a bit more complicated.
First, the FDA outright says they advise “against the use of cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and marijuana in any form during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.”
Simply put, there isn’t enough comprehensive research to determine either way if it's safe to use CBD in any form when you’re expecting, even if it’s a topical cream that doesn’t enter your bloodstream.
The FDA and many medical professionals recommended pregnant and breastfeeding mothers take a “better safe than sorry” approach and wait for more conclusive evidence before risking the health of their unborn baby.
While science is still collecting data on the subject, there has been research run to check the effects of high doses of CBD on pregnant test animals. The study found that CBD did have negative effects on male fetuses. There’s also been evidence that other cannabinoids, specifically THC, can affect the fetus brain development and lead to premature birth or even stillbirths.
Of course, it’s not a one-to-one comparison, but it’s still something that gives organizations like the FDA pause before they give the greenlight on whether or not CBD is safe during pregnancy.
The main issue is that there are virtually no studies that have looked at how CBD affects pregnant humans in low or moderate doses. Most studies exclusively look at THC, and well, THC isn’t CBD.
Most experts agree CBD is many times safer than THC – with CBD-related side effects being minor such as diarrhea and excessive tiredness. The fact remains, we simply don’t completely know all the functions of CBD in the body and how it might interact with hormones and the baby’s development.
So if you are considering using a CBD to soothe your swollen ankles or help with muscle and joint aches, first speak with your doctor as you would with taking any other medication.
You should also make sure you’re getting your CBD from a trusted source like Pakamana, which provides high-quality CBD products like topical creams, lotions, tinctures, and oils.
Pakamana CBD: Prioritizing Your Health and Safety
While many experts say that CBD during pregnancy is a no-go, even for topical creams, that verdict can easily change as we learn more about the effects of CBD on a growing fetus.
In the future, it might turn out that CBD is completely safe for pregnant mothers. Until then, it’s best to err on the side of caution and avoid all CBD products until the baby is born and no longer requires breastmilk.
At that point, feel free to come visit Pakamana to add CBD into your health and wellness routine. Our Muscle & Joint Relief Cream, which can help alleviate minor aches and pains from your daily activities and help you recover quicker from an overworked body.
All of our products are certified organic and use only the highest-quality CBD. At Pakamana, we put your health and safety first.